Knitting machine



w. A. !NGALLS 1,896,686

KNITTING MACHINE Feb. 7, 1933.

Filed Sept. 28, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet l Wirnzss Feb. 7, 1933. w. A.INGALLS KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 vrnrolrFeb. 7, 1933. w. A. INGALLS KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 8Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 7, 1933. w. A. INGALLS KNITTING MACHINE 8Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 28, 1931 INYEN T012 llrroli'm 6Y6 Filed Sept.28, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 w B k? 9 I L w I M M 7 3 8 R W F ATTORH E Y3Feb. 7, 1933. w. A. INGALLS KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 8Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 7, 1933.

W. A. INGALLS KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet/I-IYNTOR $4M Tron/15v;

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES WILLIS ADOLPHUS INGALLS, OFSYRACUSE, NEW YORK xmrrmo MACHINE Application filed September 28 1981.Serial No. 565,600.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inknitting machines and is supplemental to my co-pending application,Serial No. 264,582 filed March 26th,

1928, Patent No. 1,849,716.

This invention pertains more particularly to a rotaryknitting machine inwhich a set of cylinder needles and a set of dial or plate needles areemployed and to a transfer mech- 10 anism whereby the loops carried bythe needles of one set may be automatically transferred to adjacentneedles of the other set without interrupting the knitting operation forthe purpose of changing from a rib stitch fabric to a plain stitchfabric or for changing from a double web fabric to a single web fabricas is required, for instance, in the manufacture of certain classes .ofknitted jackets, caps or other knit apparel.

If a double web fabric is to be knit as in forming an integral welt orhem, there will be employed the same number of needles in both cylinderand plate sets and each set of .needles will be utilized to knit arespective fabric until the desired welt is formed whereupon the loopsfrom one set of needles are automatically transferred to the other setof needles for securing the welt to the body fabric and in which caseboth fabrics will be plain stitch fabrics.

I If, however, it is desired to knit a rib stitch fabric and to changeto a plain stitch fabric, :I propose using one-half as many needles inone set as in the other and to utilize only onehalf or alternate needlesof the larger set in connection with all the needles in the other setfor the rib stitch fabric, and when desired to change to plain stitchfabric, to transfer the loops on the smaller set of needles to theprevious idling needles of the larger set after which the previouslyidling needles will be caused to co-operate with the remaining needlesof that set to knit the plain stitch fabric.

The main object is to incorporate in a machine of this character,simple, durable and efficient means whereby the knitting of the fabricmay be automatically changed'from one set of needles to another set ofneedles 0 without interrupting the knitting operation.

.One of the specific objects is to associate with the knitting needles,separate relatively movable transfer members which are progressivelyactuated by a suitable cam for sequentially displacing the yarn loopsformed by the needles therefrom and placing them in position to beengaged by adjacent needles of the other set.

A further object is to divide the cylinder into two or more segments,each shiftable relativesto the other to move its needles into alignmentwith adjacent needles of the other set so that the knitting operation ofthe needles on one segment may be continued while the transfer is beingmade from the needles on the shifted segment to the needles of the otheror plate set.

Another object is to provide means whereby the segments may be shiftedin sequence so as to effect the transfer of the yarn from needles of oneset to the needles of the other set and thereby to cause a completechange of the stitch of the fabric during one cycle of operation, andthereafter to use all of the needles of the last-named set for knittingplan stitch fabric and permitting the needles of the first-named set toremain idle without stitching.

Still another object is to provide a selective shifting means for thesegments whereby the needles carried by the segments may be movedcircumferentially substantially the distance between two adjacent plateneedles for producing half cardigan or tuck stitches when changing froma plan stitch fabric to a ribbed stitch fabric.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the machinewill bebrought out in the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion ofa' circular knitting machine embodying the va-. rious features of thisinvention.

Figures 2 and 3 are face views respectively of one of the transferknitting needles and corresponding transfer member with which it isassociated.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure5.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view takensubstantially in the plane of the line 5-5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure5.

Figure 7 is a face view of a fragmentary portion of the upright cylindershowing the means for effecting the circumferential shifting of theadjacent needle-supporting segment. 1 I

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the needle-supportingcylinder and cam member therefor, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 8-.8, Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a detail vertical section taken in the plane of the line 99,Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken in the plane of the line1010, Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view takensubstantially in the plane of the line 1111, Figure 1.

Figure 12 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 1212,Figure 11, illustrating a movable knittingcam for controlling theoperation of alternate plate or dial needles.

Figure 13 is a detail vertical sectional vie taken in the plane of theline 1313, Figure 1, illustrating the switch cams for'actuating theknitting cam shown in Figures 11 and 12.

Figures 14 and 15 are detail horizontal sectional views takenrespectively on lines 14-44 and 1515, Figure 13.

Figure '16 is, an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken on line1616, Figure 1, illustrating the manner for operating the cylinderneedle-actuating cam.

Figures 17 and 18 are enlarged detail plan views of the trip levers forautomatically actuating the shogging mechanism illustrating the leversin different operative positions.

Figure 19 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken on line19-19, Figure 18.

Figure 20 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 2020,Figure 6.

Figure 21 is a detail sectional view taken on line 21-21, Figure 5.

Figures 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 are perspective views of portions ofone of the needles of each set, together with portions of one of thetransfer members showing differentpositions ofsaid needles and membersin effecting the transfer oftheyarn from the needles of one set to theneedles of the other set.

Figure 28 is a face view of a plortion of the. fabric stretched out toshow t e change from one stitch to the other. 1

Figures 29 and 30 are enlarged sectional views of the fabric takenrespectively in the plane of the lines 29-29 and 3030, Figure 28.

Figures 31, 32 and 33 are diagrammatic views illustrating respectivelythe development of the cams and cam grooves for the plate needles,cylinder needles and transfer and 3636, Figure 34.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is of the conventional circulartype except as to the construction of the cylinder for supporting thecylinder needles, and transfer members associated therewith, the meansfor effecting a circumferential shifting movement of the cylinder forbringing the cylinder needles and transfer members into verticalalignment with adjacent dial or plate needles, and the means foractuating the plate needles.

This machine is adapted to knit a rib fabric or a plainfabric, and forthis reason is shown with one-half as many cylinder needles as there areplate or dial needles. The horizontal or plate needles as 1 are arrangedin circumferentially spaced relation around and upon a circular guideplate or dial 2 of usual construction and which is mounted in fixedrelation to the .upper inner surface of an an nular bed platev 3 also ofconventional construction.

The needles 1 are adapted to be reciprocated radially by means of a camring 15 also of the usual construction for circular knitting machinesand cam plates 16, 17 and 18. The cam plates 16 and 17, in thisinstance, are illustrated inFigures 5 and 11 as being secured by screws4 at their outer edge to a suitable gear ring 5 which is mounted forrotary movement upon the bed plate 3 adjacent the outer edge of theguide plate 2, said gear ring being rotated by any suitable means suchas the drive shaft 6 having a gear 7 engaging a tooth rack 8 provided onthe underside of the gear ring 5.

The drive shaft 6 is, as illustrated in F igure 5, journaled in asuitable bearing 9 secured to the under side of the bed plate 3.

The cam ring 15 has the inner edge thereof secured by screws 10 to theinner edge of a horizontally disposed cover plate 11 positioned over thecam ring and which has the outer portion thereof secured to a secondgear ring member 12 which is also mounted for rotary movement upon thebed plate 3 in the usual manner and which may be driven by the driveshaft 6 through the medium of a gear 13 secured to said shaft and havingmeshing engagement with a tooth rack 14 prov-i ed on the lower surfaceof the gearing 12, it ing understood that the gears 7 and 13 are sorelated in size as to drive their respective gear rings in unison sothat the cam ring 15, and cam plates 16, 17 and 18 will also rotate inunison about the axis of the machine.

The fixed cam plates 16 are conventional cams which, together with thefixed cam member 17 and the movable cammember 18 are adapted toco-operate with the outer edge of the cam ring 15 to form a cam groove19 for progressively reciprocating the needles 1 to form what iscommonly known as a plain fabric, (see Figures 11 and 12).

The fixed cam member 17 and the adjacent portion of the cam plate 16positioned at the forward endof the fixed cam 17 have the undersurfacethereof cut away to form a recess 20 between said cam members and'the'adjacent upper surface of the gear-ring 5 and guide plate 2 forreceiving therein the movable cam member 18, said fixed cam member 17being maintained in spaced relation to the gear ring 5 by means of thescrews 4 which, in this instance, pass through respective spacingsleeves 21 positioned between the fixed cam member 17 and the gear ring5 and are screw-threaded in said gear ring.

The movable cam member 18 is a substantially rectangular fiat memberadapted totravel in the recess 20 and is pivotally connected with thegear ring 5 by one of the screws 4 which passes through registeringholes formed in the adjacent cam plate 16 and the forward end of themovable cam member 18, the hole in the cam 18 being some what larger indiameter than the hole in the cam plate 16 for receiving a spacingsleeve 21 which maintains the cut-away portion of the cam plate 16 inspaced relation with the gear ring 5 and permits the free rockinmovement of the cam member 18.

The inner edge of the cam member 18 is sucli that when said member is inthe inner-v most or operative position, said inner edge will conform tothe contour of the cam face of the adjacent cam plate 16 and fixed cammember 17 for co-operating with said cam plate and cam member'inreciprocating all of the needles 1 when it is desired to form a plainstitch fabric,

The needles 1 are provided with the usual shoulders 22 and 22' adaptedto ride in the cam groove 19 and which are of unequal length, the longerones as 22 being adapted to extend upwardly through the cam groove 19 soas to be engaged by the fixed cam member 17 while the shorter ones as22' are of such length as to be engaged by the lower portion of the camplates 16 and to pass beneath the fixed cam member 17 so as to beengaged by the movable cam member 18 for causing the respective needlesto be reciprocated or to remain inactive depending upon the position ofthe movable cam member 18.

As hereinbefore stated, I preferably use one-half as many cylinderneedles as plate needles for making rib fabric or double plain fabric,and for this reason, alternate plate needles are provided with the shortshoulders 22 to allow them to idle without knitting while the remainingplate needles are provided with the long shoulders 22 to cause them. toco-operate with the cylinder needles to form the rib fabric, as willhereinafter be more apparent.

The movable cam member 18 may be automatically moved from the operativeposition to the inoperative position or vice versa by any suitable meanssuch as a roller stud 24 secured to the outer edge of the cam member 18intermediate its'ends and which extends upwardly from said cam memberinto one or the other of a pair of concentric grooves or channels 25formed in the undersurface of an upper needle guide plate 2 whichextends over the guide plate 2 beneath the cover plate 11 and is securedin any suitable manner as by screws 26 to the bed plate 3, asillustrated in Figures 5 and 11.

The channels 25 are so arranged that when the roller stud 24 is in theinnermost channel, the inner or cam face of the cam member 18 will bemaintained in the plane of the cam faceof the fixed cam member 17 andadjacent portion of the cam plate 16 for causing the needles with theshort shoulders 22 to be reciprocated, and when the roller stud 24 is inthe outermost channel, the cam member 18 will be maintained in theinoperative position.

In order that the roller stud 24 may be moved from one channel 25 to theother for producing a corresponding movement of the cam member 18, Ihave provided a switch cam 26 which is positioned in a recess 27 formedin the tongue 25' between the'channels 25,

relation with the guide cylinder for the cylinder needles, as willhereinafter be more apparent. J

The switch cam 26 is pivotally mounted at one end upon a shouldered stud29 which is screw-threaded in the upper guide plate 2 intermediate thechannels 25. ,The switch cam 26 extends rearwardly from the pivot 29across one or the other of the channels 25 with the outer or free endthereof positioned in a respective recess 30 provided in the outervertical wall of each of the channels 25, as illustrated in Figure 15,said switch cam being yieldingly maintained in one or the other of thesepositions by a s ring-actuated plunger 31 mounted in a suita le recessprovided in the tongue 25' adjacent the pivotal ,and which is positionedin predetermined end of the switch cam 26 and adapted, when l i the camis in one or the other of said positions, to engage a respective recess32 provided in the switch cam. I k

In, order that the switch cam 26 may be stud 33 secured theretointermediate its ends and which extends upwardly through a suitablearcuate slot 34 formed in the wall of the upper guide plate 2 and madeconcentric with the pivot 29, as illustrated in Figure 14, the upper endof said stud terminating in a suitable annular recess or groove 35formed in the undersurface of the cover plate 11, as

shown more particularly in Figures 13 and 14.

A second switch cam member 36 is mounted upon an upwardly extendingsquare stud or shaft 37 at the rear of the slot 34, the shaft 37 beingsecured to the switch arm 36 so as to rock said arm, and extendsupwardly through a suitable opening in the cover plate 11 midway betweenthe vertical side walls of the groove 35, and has secured to the upperouter end thereof a suitable rock arm 38 for actuating said shaft.

The outer or free end of the switch cam 36 is, as shown in Figure 14,tapered from the pivoted end and adapt-ed to be positioned between theouter ends of the slot 34 and the adjacent side wall of the groove 35 sothat as the switch cam 36 is carriedforwardly by the cover plate 11 towhich it is secured, the stud 33 and, therefore, the switch cam- 26 maybe rocked from one operative position to the other as the stud 33 isengaged by the switch cam member or arm 36.

The switch cam member or arm 36 is normally maintained in contact withthe inner vertical wall of the groove 35 by means of a spring 40 whichhas one end connected with the rock arm 38 and the other end connectedwith the cover plate 11, as shown in Figure 1.

The rock arm 38 may be rocked to move the cam arm 36 into engagementwith the opposite or outer vertical wall of the groove 35 when it isdesired to shift the switch cam 26 to the opposite recess 30 by anysuitable means such as a slidable bar 41 which is slidably connectedwith the cover plate 11 adjacent the arm 38 by means of a pair of screws42 which pass through elongated slots 43 in the bar 41 and arescrew-threaded in v the plate 11.

The slide bar 41 has the forwardend thereof provided with an inwardlyextending shoulder 41 which, when the bar is drawn rearwardly, isadapted to engage the rock arm 38 for moving said arm against the actionof the spring 40. The bar 41 may be moved in any suitable manner as byan automatic attachment provided on the machine or may be manuallymoved, and when moved to the rear position, will frictionally remain insaid position for holding the cam arm 36 against the outer vertical wallof the recess 35 until said bar is moved to the forward position, asindicated inFigure 1, and there a fixed cam member 45 indicateddiagrammatically in Figure 31 and which is positioned ahead of theknitting cam members 17 and 18 approximately 115. This fixed cam 45is'of the conventional construction and, therefore, need not be furtherdescribed in detail and is adapted to reciprocate all of the plateneedles 1 during each revolution of the gear rings 5 and 12, but is onlyused for the purpose of co-operating with the cylinder needles duringthe transferring of the loops from said cylinder needles to thepreviously idle or short shouldered plate needles 1, as will hereinaftermore clearly appear, and for this reason, the cam 45 is made shorterthan the knitting cams 17 and 18 so that the outward movement of theneedles 1 will be less than during the knitting operation to prevent thedisplacement of the yarn from the active plate needles.

A secondmovable cam member 46 is provided in the cam groove 19 andpositioned ahead of the transfer fixed cam 45 and approximately 180ahead of the knitting earns 17 and 18, as. illustrated diagrammaticallyin Figure 31. This cam 46 is for the purpose of causing the plateneedles to throw off the stitches carried thereby preparatory tochanging from a plain stitch to a rib stitch, as will hereinafter bemore fully described, and for this reason, will be designated thethrow-oft" cam, and is pivotally secured at itsforward end to the ringgear 5 by means of a shouldered screw 47.

In order that the cam may be maintained in the active or inactiveposition, I have provided said cam with a roller stud 48 which isconnected with the cam near the outer edge and intermediate the endsthereof. Said roller stud extends downwardly from the cam into one orthe other of a pair of concentric grooves or channels 49 formed in theupper face of the bed plate 3 adjacent the outer edge of the gear ring5, see Figure 11.

The cam 46 may be moved, when desired, from the active to the inactiveposition, or conversely, by any suitable means such as a switch cam 50which is positioned for rocking movement in a recess 51 provided byremoving a portion of the tongue 49 formed between the channels 49, saidswitch cam 50 being secured like the switch cam 36 for the switch 18at'its rear end to a rock shaft 52 which extends, in this instance,downwardly through a suitable opening in the bed plate 3 and has securedto the lower end thereof a rock arm 53 which may be automatically ormanually actuated to produce the desired movement of the switch cam 50by causing the shaft 52 to rock about its axis to bring the free taperedend of the switch cam in contact with one or the other of the outsidewalls of the channels 49 and thus cause the roller stud to engage saidswitch cam as it travels forwardly and thereby be caused to move fromone channef 49 to the other through the recess 51 as said stud travelsalong the switch cam 50.

A second set of needles as 55 comprising the hereinbefore-mentionedcylinder needles, is mounted for vertical reciprocatory motion in asegmental guide ring or cylinder 56 to be actuated progressively by arotary cam member 57, said cylinder needles being arranged in uniformlyspaced relation in respective grooves 58 arranged circumferentiallyaround the inside of the cylinder 56 in normally staggered relation tothe plate needles for co-operating with said plate needles in knittingairib fabric.

Each cylinder needle 55 has associated therewith a pair of transfermembers 60 arranged along opposite sides thereof in the same groove topermit relative vertical movement of the knitting needles and transfermembers. The knitting needles 55 are provided near their upper ends withlengthwise grooves 61 in opposite faces thereof for receiving inturnedprongs 62 provided on-the extreme'upper ends of the transfer members 60for guiding the knittingneedles 55 and transfer members 60 in theirvertical movement one upon the other and also for holding them againstradial displacement.

Another object in providing the transfer members 60 with the pointedprongs 62 riding in the grooves 61 is to enable said prongs to enter theyarn loop formed by the needles 55 during the operation of transferringthe yarn from the needles 55 to the horizontal or plate needles 1.

For this latter purpose, the transfer members 60 are provided near theirupper ends with shoulders 63 projecting laterally beyond the latch sideof the needles so that when the yarn loop is formed by, the needle andthe latter is raised sufliciently to open the latch full open, theshoulders 63 will then be some distance below the end of the open latch,(see Figure 23) and as the needle assumes its normal down position andthe transfer members are raised, said shoulders will engage oppositesides of the loop to force the same upwardly thereby closing the latchand permitting the loop to be displaced from the needles 55 intoposition to be engaged by the adjacent previously idling needlesl asshown more clearly in Figure 25 at which time the cylinder segment orsegments will have been shifted to register its needles 55 with theadjacent previously idling needles 1. c

It is, of course, obvious that when the transfer members are applied toopposite faces of the needle 55-, the upper ends of the transfer memberswill be held in sufficiently spaced relation to permitthe entrance ofthe adjacent previously idling needle 1 between said upper ends as shownin Figure 26, and in order to facilitate the entrance of the needle 1between the transfer members, the

outer edges of the latter are beveled as at 64: from the upper edges ofthe shoulders 63 downwardly a sufficient distance to permit the needles1 to enter between the transfer members during the transfer operation.

In order that the cylinder needles 55 and the-transfer members 60 may bereciprocated, each of these members is provided with a shoulder 65 and66 respectively adapted to ride in respective conventional cam grooves67 and 68 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the rotary cammember or wheel, 57, each of which is provided with suitable movablecam' members for causing the needles and transfer members to beprogressively reciprocated for performing the stitching or transferringoperations or to permit said needles and transfer members to remain intheir lowermost inoperative position. For instance,

7 the cam groove 67 for the cylinder needles 55 is provided with a pairof such cam members as 70 and 71, one of which as 70, is ar-' ranged inco-operative relation with the knitting cam members 17 and 18 providedfor the plate needles 1 for causing the cylinder needles 55 to performthe knitting operation and 'will, therefore, be designated the cylinderknitting cam while the other cam as 71 is positioned ahead of theknitting cam 70 in the direction of rotation a distance less than 180 oras indicated in Figures 8 and 32, substantially 145 ahead of theknitting cam 70 for the purpose of causing the cylinder needles to beprogressively raised to position the yarn loop on the outside of thelatch, as indicated in Figure 23 during the transfer operation. I

The cammeinber as 72 positioned in the cam groove 68 for the transfermembers, is positioned intermediate the cam members 70 and 71 for thecylinder needles, or as illustrated in Figure 32,. substantially 115ahead of the knitting cam 70. This cam 72 is for the purpose ofprogressively lifting the transfer members during the transferoperation, as hereinbefore mentioned.

Each of these cam members 70, 71 and 72 may be manually manipulated forcausing these cams may be, asshown in the drawings,

automatically moved vertically through the operation of a disk 73,Figure 1, mounted for vertical reciprocative movement in the outer edgeof the bed plate 3 through the medium of a system of levers, and as eachof these actuating means for the cams is identical in construction andoperation, there will be but one of these systems described, forinstance, the operating means for the knitting cam 7 O.

The knitting cam 70 like thecams 71-and 72, is a substantially flatmember mounted in a vertically disposed slot or recess 75 formed in theperipheral surface of the camwheel 57, in communication with the lowered e of the cam groove 67; The cam member 0 1s secured by a screw 76 orother suitable means to a vertically disposed shaft 77 which is mountedfor reciprocative movement in a vertically disposed recess or bore 78provided in the cam wheel 57 adjacent the inner face of the cam groove67. This shaft 77 extends upwardly a short distance above the upper faceof the cam wheel 57 and is provided with a hole 78 therethrough in whichis positioned one end of a bell crank lever 79 which is pivotallymounted upon a pin 80 secured to the upper end of a bracket 81 which, inturn, is secured by screws 82 or other suitable means, to the cam wheel57, as shown more particularly in Figures 1 and 16.

The other arm of the bell crank lever 79 extends upwardly from the pivot80 and is rotatably connected at 83 to one end of a horizontallydisposed arm 84. This arm 84 extends outwardly from the pivot 83, withthe outer end thereof terminating a short distance inwardly from theouter edge of the gear ring 12 and is pivotally connected as at 85 toone end of a rock cam 86 which has the other end pivotally connected asat 87 to the adjacent portion of the gear ring 12 to rotate therewith.

The outer vertical edge of the rock cam 86 is formed with an irregularsurface, as shown in Figure 1, and isadapted to be engaged by the disk73 when said disk is brought into the path of movement of the rock cam86 for the purpose of rocking said cam inwardly about its pivot 87.

The cam is yieldingly maintained in its lowermost inactive position bymeans of a coiled spring 88 which has one end thereof connected to thearm 84 and the other end connected with the cover plate 11 while the cammember 70 is maintained in its uppermost operative position by means ofa latch 89 pivotally secured at 90 to the upper face of the gear ring 12and which is adapted to engage the rock cam 86 for maintaining said rockcam in its innermost position against the action of the spring 88, saidlatch 89 being yieldingly maintained in connection with the rock cam 86by means of a spring 91 connected with said latch at one end and havingthe other end thereof connected with the gear ring 12.

The latch 89 extends outwardly from the pivot 90 so as to be engaged bythe disk 73 when said disk is moved in the path of movement of the latchfor the purpose of rocking said latch rearwardlyagainst the action ofthe spring 91 for releasing the rock cam 86 and permitting the cammember 70 to be returned to its lowermost position by the action of thespring 88. I

In order that the disk 73 may be brought either into operativeengagement with the latch 89 or the rock cam 86, as desired, the outerend as 89' of the latch 89, is offset to bring said end into a planebelow the plane of the rock cam 86 and the remainder of the latch 89, asshown more clearly in Figure 16. The plate 73 may be manually movedvertically or said plate may be moved automatically into and out of thepath of movement of the cam 86 or latch 89 by any suitable means notshown and, not herein necessary to explain.

Any suitable means may be provided for supporting and rotating the camwheel 57, said means consisting, in this instance, of a verticallydisposed shaft 93 which extends upwardly through the hub of the camwheel 57 and through the hub of a horizontally disposed yoke 94 which,in turn, extends diametrically over the cover plate 11 with the outerends thereof secured to the upper face of the gear ring 12 to rotatetherewith.

The shaft 93 is prevented from vertical movement by means of a collar 95secured to the upper end thereof, and to permit easy relative turningmovement of the yoke 94 and shaft 93, there is provided a suitablethrust bearing 96 upon the shaft 93 between the collar 95 and the hub ofthe yoke 94, as illustrated more clearly in Figure 5.

In order that the cam wheel 57 may be rotated by the action of the yoke94, there is secured to the upper end of the hub as 57 of the cam wheel57, a collar 97 which has a pair of diametrically opposed upwardlyextending lugs 97 through which is adj ustably mounted a respectivehorizontally disposed screw 98 which has the outer ends thereof adaptedto be engaged by a respective pendent lug 99 secured to or made integralwith the yoke 94 at diametrically opposite sides of the axis thereof sothat any rotary movement of the yoke 94 will be transmitted to the camwheel 57 through the medium of the lugs 99, screws 98 and collar 97, andat the same time, permit a slight rotary movement of the cam wheel 57 tobe made relative to the yoke 9 by the manipulation of the screws 98 forobtaining a fine circumferential adjustment of the cam members 70, 71and 72 connected with the cam grooves of the cam wheel 57.

Any suitable means for maintaining the cam wheel 57 against downwardvertical movement may be employed such as the thrust bearing 96 and acollar 95 similar to the thrust bearing 96 and collar 95, positioned atthe upper end of the shaft 93 and which is mounted on the shaft 93adjacent the bottom face of the cam wheel 57.

In the present machine, when knitting with both sets of needles, thoseof each set will be arranged in staggered relation to those of the otherset while the knitting cams for these needles will be-arranged and timedto operate both sets of needles in the usual way for rib fabric as longas may be required. When it is desired to change the fabric from a ribstitch to a plain stitch, it becomes necessary to shift a portion of oneset of needles as 55 circumferentially a sufiicient distance to registerthem with previously idling dial needles 1, and for this purpose, theguide cylinder 56 is divided into a plurality of, in this instance two,semi-circular segments 56 and 56 having their meeting edges normallyspaced at 100 a distance apart corresponding approximately to thedistance between adjacent plate needles 1 so that while one segment isshifted circumferentially to bring its needles 55 into verticalalignment with the adjacent previously idling dial needles 1, theneedles 55 of the other segment may continue to co-operate with theactive needles 1 to form the rib fabric.

This circumferential shifting movement of the segment as 56 is arrangedto take place almost instantaneously at about the time that the knittingcam 70 for the cylinder needle 55 leaves the end of the segment to beshifted in the direction of rotation thereby allowing all of the needlesof the shifted segment to! remain in their neutral positions while thecontinued movement of the cam continues to operate the needles 55 of theother segment as 56' in synchronism with the movement of the plateneedles 1 so that both sets of needles will continue to form the fabricduring substantially one-half revolution of the cam and Wheel 57 whilethe needles on the shifted segment 56 will normally remain in theirlowermost positions out of the path of move- .ing the ment of thecorresponding needles 1 with which they are then aligned.

It is, of course, understood that when the needles of the shiftedsegment are drawn downwardly, each needle will carry with it a yarnloop, as shown in Figure 22, preparatory to transferring these loops tothe needle 1 of the horizontal set.

The cylinder cams 71 and 72 for operatcylinder needles 55 and transfermembers 60 are, in this instance as hereinbefore stated, located at lessthan 180 in the direction of rotation from the knitting cam 7 0 so thatthese cams will be in registration with the same segment in which theknitting cam is in registration with at the time the other segment isshifted, and as these cams 71 and 72 reach the division 100 between thenon-shifted segment and the shifted segnent, these cams will beautomatically and substantially instantaneously raised to theiroperative positions for progressively raising first the cylinder needles55 to bring the loo as a over the-latch of the needle as in-- dicated inFigures 23 and 24 after which the cam 72 will progressively raise thetransfermembers 60 on the shifted segment to displace the yarn loop -aupwardly from the corresponding needles 55 into position to receive therespective idling needles 1, as shown in Figure 25. i

As the loops are thus progressively elevated, the registering plateneedles 1 will be successively caused to enter them by the action of thetransfer cam 45 by passing between the upper ends of the transfermembers, as illustrated in Figure 26, and as the operating cam 72 forsaid transfer members successively passes the same, the transfer memberswill be progressively drawn downwardly to deposit the loop thereon ontothe registering needles 1, as shown in Figure 27. It will thus be seenthat the transferring 1 of the loops from the cylinder needles to thecorresponding plate needles may be accomplished at one portion of themachine, while the knitting of arib fabric may continue uninterruptedlyat another portion thereof, and as the knitting cam 70 completes theknitting operation on the non-shifted segment as 56, as it reaches thedivision 100 between said non-shifted segment and the shifted segment56", said cam will be automatically returned to its lowermostinoperative position, in a manner hereinbefore described. and therebypermit the cylinder needles in the shifted segment as 56" to remain intheir lowermost inactive position out of the path of movement of thecorresponding previously idling plate needles 1 which will, at the sametime, be brought into operation by the movable knitting cam member 18which will, as it reaches the plane of said division 100, beautomatically moved from the inoperative position, as shownby full linesin Figure 12, to the'operative position as shown by dotted lines in saidfigure, by the action of the switch cam member 26 in the mannerhereinbefore described, and thereby cause all of the plate needles 1 tothereafter continue knitting to form a plain stitch fabric.

At about the time the knitting cam 70 reaches the shifted segment as 56or shortly thereafter and before the lifting cam 71 ion leaves theshiftedsegment, the other segment as 56 will be shifted to bring itsneedles 55 into alignment with the corresponding previously idling plateneedles 1 so that when the cams 71 and 72 are passing along thissegment, the loops carried by saidneedles may be transferred to thecorresponding plate needles in the same manner as described for thepreviously shifted segment 56".

The cams 71 and 72 will remain in their uppermost active positions untilafter they have passed beyond the second shifted segment whereupon theywill then be returned to their lowermost inactive position, in a mannerhereinbefore described, so as to permit all of the cylinder needles 55and the transfer members 60 to thereafter remain in their lowermostinactive positions.

It will thus be seen that during these successive shifting movements ofthe segments 56" and 56 for the knitting needles 55 and the transfermembers 60, all of the yarn loops previously formed by the needles 55will have been transferred to the corresponding needles 1 during onecycle of movement of the cam wheel 56.

After the loops formed by the needles 55 of both segments have beentransferred in the manner just described to the needles 1 of the plateset, the segments, needles and transfer members mounted thereon will bereturned to their starting positions in a manner hereinafter describedready for a repetition and permitting all of the plate needles tocontinue the knitting operation to form a plain stitch fabric.

Oglimier shifting mechanism The cylinder 56 is mounted forcircumferential shifting movement upon an up standing annular flange 102of a stationary supporting frame 103 through which the upright shaft 93carrying cam wheelv57 extends for supporting said frame, and for thispurpose, the lower end of the shaft may have secured thereto, anysuitable means as a collar 104 for maintaining said frame in itsoperative relation with the bed plate 3.

The frame 103 may be maintained against rotation in any siutable manneras by an arm, not shown, secured at one end to the undersurface of thebed plate 3 and having the other end thereof provided with a roller forfrictionally engaging the periphery of the frame 103 in a mannerwell-known to those skilled in the art.

The upright annular flange 102 is provided with diametrically oppositeopenings 105 therethrough for receiving adjacent crank arms 106 on theouter ends of a pair of rock shafts 107 as shown more clearly in Figures5, 7 and 8. These crank arms 106 are located substantially midway.between the ends of their corresponding segments 56' and 56" of thecylinder 56 and have their upper ends rounded and engaged withcorresponding recesses in suitable blocks 108 which are secured to theouter faces of the adjacent segments 56 and 56" so that rocking movementof either crank arm in reverse directions will effect a correspondingcircumferential shifting movement of the respective cylindrical segments56 or 56".

Each of the rock shafts 107 is provided on its inner end with a head 109having oppo sitely projectin crank arms 110 provided with downward yprojecting contact members 111 which preferably consist of screwsengaged in threaded apertures in the crank arms 110 equal distances fromthe axis of the shaft 107.

A pair of slide plates 114 is mounted for reciprocative movement uponthe surface of the bottom of the frame 103 directly under thecorresponding heads 109 and each sliding plate is provided with a pairof opposite reversely inclined cams 115 on its upper face at oppositesides of the axis of the corresponding shaft 107 for alternatelyengaging the contact members 111 as the plate 114 is moved in reversedirections; that is, when either plate 114 is moved its full distance oftravel in one direction, the engagement of the cams 115 with the contactmembers 111 will effect a corersponding rocking movement of the adjacenthead 109 and resulting rocking movement of the corresponding crank arm106 for shifting the adjacent segment as 65 or 65', as the case may be,circumferentially a distance substantially equal to the distance betweenadjacent needles 1 of the plate set for the purpose of transferring thefabric from the plate needles to the cylinder needles when changing froma plain stitch fabric to a rib stitch fabric, as hereinafter more fullydescribed.

It will be noted that each cam 115 of the plate 114 is stepped, asillustrated in Figure 9; that is, provided with a flat horizontalportion as 1-15 intermediate its ends so that if the slide plate 114 ismoved only a part of its distance of travel, say one-half, the contactmembers will come to rest upon the portions 115 which will effect acorresponding rocking movement of the adjacent head 109 and resultingrocking movement of the corresponding crank arm 106 for shifting therespeetive segment 56 or 56 circumferentially a distance substantiallyequal to one-half the distance between adjacent plate nedlcs forpermitting the transfer of the yarn loops a from the cylinder needles tothe plate needles, as previously described.

The mechanisms for shifting each segment 56' and 56" are substantiallyidentical and, therefore, the description of one mechanism will servefor both.

Any suitable means may be provided for slidably reciprocating the camplates 114 and, in this instance, consists of an upright spindle 117mounted upon the cam wheel 57 in a radial plane extending substantiallymidway between the cams 71 and 70, see Figure 1, at one side of its axisto rotate therewith about the axis of the shaft 93, see F igure 8.

Jfhe lower end of the spindle 117 is provided with a disk 118 which ismovable into and out of the plane of a pair of shoulders 119 and 120 onthe cam plate 114 as the spindle 117 is adjusted endwise in a mannerpresently described.

The cam wheel 57 adjacent the upper end of the spindle 117 has securedthereto a vertically extending bracket 122 similar to the bracket 81 forthe cylinder cams 70, 71 and 72. In the upper end of this bracket 122 isjournaled a bell crank lever 123 having a horizontally disposed armextending through a suitable slot 124 provided in the upper end ofspindle 117, see Figure 20. The other arm of the bell crank leverextends upwardly at substantially "right angles to the horizontal armand has adjustably secured to the upper end thereof a collar 125 towhich is pivotally connected by a screw 12?, one end of a horizontallydisposed arm 12 The arm 127 extends outwardly from the bell crank lever123 over the upper face of v the cover plate 11 and has the outer endthereof pivotally connected by a screw 128 to one end of an arm 129which is adj ustably secured by a screw 130 at its other end to a rocklever 131.. The lever 131 is, as shown more particularly in Figures 1,17, 18 and 19, pivotally secured in spaced relation to the gear ring 12'by means of a shouldered screw 132 which passes through an opening inthe lever 131 ahead of the screw 130 and through a spacing sleeve 133,and is screw-threaded in the adjacent portion of the gear ring 12, seeFigure 19.-

A second rock lever 134 is positioned in a plane below the lever 131 andis pivotally secured in spaced relation to the gear ring 12 by means ofa shouldered screw 135 which passes through an opening in the lever 134intermediate its ends and a spacing sleeve 136 and is screw-threaded insaid gear ring. A third lever as 137 is pivotally secured to the lever134 by means of the screw 135 so as to lie in a plane over the lever 134between said lever and the lever 131.

The inner end of the lever 134 is slidably connected with thefirst-mentioned lever 131 by means of a screw 138 which passes.

through an elongated slot formed in the lever 131 and is screw-threadedin the lever 134. Each of these levers 131,134 and 137 extends outwardlyfrom its respective pivot over the outer peripheral edge of the gearring 12 so as to be lntercepted by a suitable disk 139 for rocking saidlevers about their respective pivots for producing a correspondingmovement of the bell crank lever 123. This disk 139 as shown in Figure19 is secured to the upper end of a vertically disposed spindle 140which is slidably mounted in the bed plate 3 adjacent the outerperipheral edge thereof and the spindle 140 and, therefore, the disk 139may be moved vertically .by hand or may be moved automatically by anysuitable actuating mechanism not shown to bring the disk 139 into andout of the path of movement of these levers 131,134 and 137.

It will be noted by referring to Figures 17, 18 and' 19 that theconnection between the levers 134 and 131 is at the inner side ofthepivot 135 for the lever 134 and intermediate said pivot 135 and thepivot 132 for the lever 131 so that any rocking movement of the lever134 will produce a corresponding rocking movement of the lever 131 butin the reverse direction so that when the disk 139 is moved into thepath of movement of the lever 134 and said lever is rocked rearwardlyabout its pivot 135 as said lever engages the disk 139, the outer end ofthe lever 131 will rocked forwardly about its pivot 132. This forwardmovement of the lever 131 will cause the arm 127 to be moved inwardlythrough the action of the arm 129 which wi produce a correspondingrocking movement of the bell crank lever 123 and, therefore, an upwardvertical movement of the spindle 117. This forward movement of the lever131 will swing the outer end thereof outwardly so as to be in positionto be en aged by the disk 139 when said disk is moved into the path ofmovement of the lever 131 which will produce a rearwardly rockingmovement of the arm 131 as it engages said disk- 139 and thereby causethe spindle 117 to be returned to its normal downward position throughthe action of the bell crank lever 123, arms 127 and 129.

It will be noted by referring to Figures 17 and 18 that the outer end ofthe lever 137 terminates a short distance inwardly from the outer end ofthe lever 134 to which it is pivotally connected so that When the disk139 is brought into the path of movement of the lever 137 the lever 134will be caused to rock rearwardly by the lever 137 as said lever engagesan upwardly extending lug 134' provided on the lever 134 but to a lessdegree thanwhen the lever 134 directly engages the disk 139 which willof course, produce a corresponding movement of the lever 131 and of thespindle 117.

It will thus be seen that the spindle 117 may be moved upwardly intoeither'one of tWo positions by the action of the disk 139 upon thelevers 134 and 137 and that the disk 118 may be returned to its normaldown position from either of the upper positions by the action of thedisk 139 upon the lever 131 and thereby obtain the desired shoggingmovement of the cylinder 56 for the needles and transfer members 60connected therewith through the medium of the crank arms 106 and camplates 114. I

In other words, When both sets of needle are employed for knitting theribbed fabric, the spindle 117 will be adjusted to bring its disk 118 inits lowermost normal position in a plane below the shoulders 119 and 120provided on the cam plates 114, but when it is desired to change fromthe ribbed stitch t0 the plain stitch, the spindle 117 will be adjustedautomatically through the medium of the disk 139, lever 137 and levers134 and 131, arms 129 and 127 and bell crank lever 123 to bring its disk118 in the plane. of the shoulder 119 of both cam plates 114. Then,

as the ,cam wheel 57 continues its rotation,

the disk 118 carried thereby will successively engage the shoulders 119and thereby effect a corresponding shifting movementof the adjacentslide plates 114 from the full line position to the intermediate dottedline position b-, Figure 10, which in turn will produce a correspondingrocking movement of the shafts 107 and crank arms 106 for shiftingthe'segments 56' and 56" circumferentially resulting in the successiveshifting movements of the corresponding knitting needles and thetransfer members into vertical alignment with the adjacent idlingneedles 1 of the plate set ready for the transfer of the yarn from theneedles 55 to said needles 1 in the manner previously explained.

Associated with the camplates 114 is a respective pawl 142, Figures 9and 10, each being pivoted at 143 to the bottom of the frame 103directly below the corresponding cam plate 114. Each of these pawls isprovided with an eccentric radial slot 144 for receiving a pin 145 onthe adjacent cam plate 114, the slot 144 and contact end of the pawl 142being located at opposite sides of its pivot 143, as shown more clearlyin Figure 10. Each pawl 142 is, therefore, connected b a slot and pinwith its corresponding cam p ate 114 the object of which is .to move thecontact end of the pawl from a neutral position into an active positionto be engaged by the disk 118 on the lower end of the spindle 117 forreturning the shifted segment to its normal position.

' That is, when it is desired to return the previously shifted segments56" and 56 and their corres onding needles to their normal ositions a erthe loops have been transerred to the upper set of needles 1, thespindle 117 may be moved axially by the disk 139 engaging the lever 131to bring the disk 118 connected with said spindle 117 out of the planeof the shoulder 119 and into the plane of the pawls 142 so that as thedisk 118 continues its rotary movement, the pawls 142 will be movedinwardly which will return the respective cam plates 114'to their normalposition which will cause the segments 56" and 56 and the needles andtransfer members carried therewith to be restored to their normalpositions. I

If, however, it is desired to change from a plain stitch fabric to a ribstitch fabric, it is desirable that the needles 55 and transfer members60 carried by the cylinder segments 56 and 56 be moved substantially thedistance between two plate needles 1 in which case the shogging disk 139will be brought into the path of movement of the longer lever 134 whichwill produce a correspondingly greater movement of the lever 131 andbell crank lever 123 which will cause the disk 118 carried by thespindle 117 to be moved from its normal down position into the plane ofthe upper shoulder 120 connected with the cam plates 114 so that as saidshoulders 120 are engaged by the disk 118 as said disk is rotated by thecam wheel 57 a corresponding rotary movement of the shafts 107 will beproduced which will cause the segments 56" and 56 to be shogged adistance sufliciently to bring the needles and ,transfer members carriedthereby from a position midway between ad acent plate Operation Assumingthat the segments 56 and 56 and their corresponding needles 55 are intheir normal positions, as shown in Figure 8, to co-operate with theactive plate needles. 1 for knitting a ribbed fabric and that thespindle 117 is in its normal lowermost position with its disk 118 in theplane of the pawls 142, the lift cam 71 and transfer cam 72 are in theirlowermost or inactive positions, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure32; the cylinder knitting cam is in its uppermost operative position, asshown, and thatthe movable knitting cam 18 and throwoff cam 46 for theplate needles 1 are in their outermost or inactive positions, asindicated by dotted lines and full lines respectively in Figure 31, andthat it is desired to transfer the yarn from the needles 55 to theidling needles 1 for producing a plain fabric, then the shogging disk139 will be moved manually or automatically into the path of movement ofthe shorter lever member 137 so that during the time disk 118 is passingfrom the vicinity of one slide or cam plate 114 to the other cam plate,the spindle 117 will be operated by the lever 137 coming in contact withthe shogging disk' 139 to move the disk 118 upwardly in the plane of theshoulder 119 so that as the cam wheel 57 continues to rotate, the disk118 will engage the shoulder 119 and thereby shift the cam plate 114 asufiicient distance to rock the shaft 107 through the medium of thecrank arms 110 thereby causing the corresponding crank arm 106 to shifta segment as 56 and cylinder needles thereon a distance corresponding toone-half the distance between the plate needles 1 or into verticalalignment with the corresponding idle needles as iliustrated in Figure22 and the right-hand half of Figures 31, 32 and 33.

This shifting of the segment 56 will take place after the knitting cam70 has passed segment 56 and before the lift cam 71 leaves the segment56 due to the relative positions of the disk 118, cam 70 and cam 71 sothat the knitting operation will be continued as the knitting cam 70passes along the cylinder needles 55 carried by thesegment 56' as thesegment 56" and the needles carried thereby are shogged from the normalposition into alignment with the idle needles 1 carried by the plate.

As the cylinder cams 70, 71 and 7 2 are moving along the segment 56 andbefore the cam 71 reaches the division between the segment 56 and thesegment 56', the needle and transfer-actuating disk, member 73 will beautomatically moved into the path of movement of the respective latchmembers 89 for the cylinderlift cam 71 and transfercam 72 in the mannerpreviously described so that as the lift cam 71 and transfer cam 72 arepassing through the intervening space between the ends of the segments56" and 56' or at about the instant each cam reaches the plane of theline N'N, Figures 31, 32 and 33, they will be shifted automaticallyfromv one position to theother; that is, as the cam 71 approaches theend of the segment 56, said cam will be moved from the lowermost orneutral position indicated by dotted lines, Figure '32, to the uppermostor operative position shown by full lines in the same figure forsuccessively lifting'the needles 55 to bring the loops acarried by saidneedles below the needle latch, as illustrated in Figure 23 and at A,Figure32, and then to return said needles to their normal inactiveposition, as illustrated in Figure 24, which will bring the loop -a overthe latch of the needle in position to be removed by the transfermembers 60.

Likewise the cam 72, upon approaching the end of the segment56', will bemoved from the neutral or lowermost position, indicated by dotted linesin Figure 32, to the active or uppermostposition indicated by full linesto successively lift the transfer members 60 and thus remove the loops'a from the corresponding needls 55 of the shifted segment and bringthem into alignment with the path of movement of the correspondingidling needles 1, as indicated in Figure 25 and at" B, Figure 32, atabout which time the idle plate needles will be progressively movedbetween the corresponding transfer members 60 by the action of the fixedcam member 45 provided in the'plate groove 19, as shown in Figure 26 andindicated at C, Figure 31.

The continued movement of the cam wheel 57 will now cause the transfermembers 60 to return to the normal position and to complete 7 0 and 17,as indicated at -D and -E, Figures 32 and 31, respectively.

During the time the knitting cam 7 O is passing along the needlescarried by the cam segment 56, the switch cams 36 and 50 will bemanually or automatically shifted in the manner previously described, sothat as the knitting cams 17 and approach the proximal end of thesegment 56" and after the last needle on the segment 56 has completedits stitching operation, the knitting cam 70 will be automatically moveddownwardly from the active to the inactive position, as indicated bydotted lines in Figure 32, and at the same time, the movable knittingcam member 18 beneath the fixed knitting cam 17 for the plate needles 1will be automatically moved from the inactive position, as indicatedbydotted lines in Figure 31, to the active position with the inner edgethereof in the plane of the inner edge of the fixed cam 17.

These movements of the knitting cams 7 0' and 18 will cause the cylinderneedles 55 to remain in their lowermost or inactive position, and at thesame time, bring the previously idling plate needles 1 into operationfor 'co-operating with the remaining plate needles to form a plainstitch fabric, as the plate needles 1 are successively engaged by saidknitting cams 17 and ls'during the continued rotation of said cams.

At about the time the knitting cams 17, 18 and 7 O reach the shiftedsegment 56 or shortly thereafter, the disk 118 will engage the shoulder119 on the cam plate 114 for the segment 56' and thereby cause theshogging of said segment a distance substantially equal to one-half thedistance between two adjacent plate needles 1 for bringing the needles55 carried thereby into vertical alignment with corresponding idlingplate needles 1 so that as the lift cam 71 and transfer cam 72sucmembers 60 therefor the yarn loops a carried by said needles will beautomatically transferred to the corresponding previously idling plateneedles 1 in the manner hereinbefore described for the segment 56".

' As the liftcam 71 and transfer cam 72 travel along the needles carriedby the segment 56, the needle and transfer actuating disk. 73 will bemoved into the path of movement ofthe rock arms 86 so that as said cammembers leave the needles carried by the segment '56, these cam memberswill be automatically returned to their lowermost or inoperativepositions as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 32 which will permitsaid cylinder needles and transfer members to thereafter remain idle andpermit the plate needles 1 to uninterruptedly perform their knittingoperation in making a plain stitch fabric.

The disk 118 may now be returned to its lowermost position in the planeof the pawls III 142 by the shogging disk 139 being brought into thepath of movement of the rock lever 131 which will cause the shiftedsegments 56 and 56 to be successively returned to their normal positionsby the disk 118 engagin g the pawls 142 in the manner hereinbeforedescribed.

Yarn having *now been transferred from the cylinder needles 55 to theplate needles 1, it is evident that the continued operation of themachine will produce the plain knit fabric by the operation of the plateneedles 1 while the cylinder needles 55 will remain inoperative and,therefore, will have no effect upon the yarn.

When it is desired to transfer from the plain stitch back 'to the ribstitch, the segments 56" and 56 will be successively shoggedcircumferentially adistance substantially equal to the distance betweentwo adjacent plate needles 1, and this may be accomplished in the mannerhereinbefore described for transferring from the rib stitch to the plainstitch by bringing the disk 118 into the plane of the upper shoulder 120con-- nected with the cam slides 114 after which the cylinder needles 55are brought into operation by the moving of the knitting cam from theinactive position, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 32, to theuppermost of operative position, as indicated by full lines in saidfigure. This will cause the needles 55 to successively engage the yarnas the plate needles 1 are actuated by the cams 17 and 18 to form a loopupon the cylinder needles causing them to take what is com monly knownas a half cardigan or tuck stitch at the same time the plate needles 1are making the plain stitch.

This may continue for two or three cycles of movement of the machine,after which the cylinder segments 56" and 56' will be successivelyreturned circumferentially to their normal positions by the engagementof the disk 118 with the pawls 142 in the manner previously described.

As the throw-01f cam 46 approaches the first shifted segment as 56" atthe end of the .third cycle, for instance, said throw-off cam will bemoved in the manner hereinbefore described from the outermost orinoperative position, as indicated by full lines in Figure 31, to theinnermost or operative position as indicated by dotted lines in saidfigure. This will cause all of the plate needles in advance of theknitting operation to be successively actuated as in making a stitch formoving the loop carried thereby back of the latch of the needles so thatas said needles again return to their normal inactive position, theloops will be passed over the ends of the needles and bedroppedtherefrom.

This will continue until one cycle of movement has been accomplishedwhich will throw off the fabric from all the plate needles after whichthe cam 46 will be returned to its normal inactive position and thefabric will now be held by the cylinder needles 55 only.

As the knitting cams 17, 18 and 7 0 reach the first shifted segment 56where the loops a llfiNe been transferred from the plate needles tothecylinder needles 55, the movable knitting plate cam 18 will beautomatically moved from the active to the inactive position leavinghalf of the plate needles or long shouldered needles only actuated bythe fixed cam 17 which will then co-operate with the cylinder needles 55in making the rib stitch, as hereinbefore described.

The machine is now in the position described at the beginning for makingthe ribbed stitch fabric, which knitting operation may continue as longas desired and then be shifted to the plain stitch fabric bytransferring the loops from the cylinder needles 55 back to thepreviously idling plate needles 1, as hereinbefore described.

It will now be evident that I have shown and described a circularknitting machine which is adapted to knit both rib stitch fabric andplain stitch fabric and wherein there is provided a simple, durable andpositive mechanism for automatically transferring the yarn from one setof needles to the other set of needles for successively making the ribstitch fabric and the plain stitch fabric or vice versa, and although Ihave shown and particularly described the preferred form of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown,as various changes in the form and the relation of the parts thereof mayreadily be made without departing from the spirit of this invention, asset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, co-operative sets of knitting needles, theneedles of each set being normally arranged to align with the spacesbetween the needles of the other set, and selective means forsequentially shifting portions of the needles of one set to bring theminto alignment with needles of the other set or with the next adjacentspaces.

2. In a knitting machine, co-operative sets of knitting needles, theneedles of each set being normally arranged to align with the spacesbetween the needles of the other set, selective means for sequentiallyshifting portions of the needles of one set to bring them into alignmentwith needles of the other set

